1. Field of the Invention
A multi-directional signal assembly deployable in a body of water includes a signal display unit comprising a buoyant construction. The signal display unit comprises one or more signal indicia affixed thereto, wherein the signal indicia are visible from essentially any point along a circle circumscribed along an axis through the assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
The U.S. dive flag is an internationally recognized symbol indicating that one or more diver, snorkeler, or swimmer is in a body of water in the vicinity of the dive flag. This is a critical indication to alert boaters to the presence of one or more person in the water, such that they can adjust their course and avoid endangering the divers, snorkelers, etc. The most common means for the presentation of the U.S. dive flag is literally a flat, two-dimensional flag that is affixed to one end of a short flagpole, which is then affixed to an upper end of a small float or small buoy. While this may be adequate in calm waters on a clear day, with little wind, where the dive flag remains upright, unfurled, and reasonably visible to approaching boats, such days are few and far between.
As such, a number of devices have been developed in attempts to improve the visibility and alert boaters to the presence of a dive flag, and more importantly, the divers or other person in the water proximate thereto. One such device incorporates three separate two-dimensional dive flags each originating and extending outwardly from a common central flag pole or mast. A U.S. dive flag symbol is displayed across two panels of adjacent ones of the three dive flags. That is to say, one half of the U.S. dive flag is displayed on each side of each of the three two-dimensional dive flags, with adjacent sides forming the complete symbol. While the incorporation of three flags would seem to improve visibility, the fact remains that if a boater is on a course aligned with an edge of one of the three two-dimensional flags, the dive flag symbols may not be readily visible to the boater.
Another device comprises an inflatable body member having three or four sides, each having a dive flag symbol on each side. While this eliminates the issues associated with collapsible two dimensional flags, as well as lack of visibility along certain bearings of an oncoming watercraft, the body is structured to float directly on the surface of the water, such that in even modest wind and waves, the marker may be only intermittently visible to boaters in an oncoming vessel.
As such, it would be beneficial to provide a multi-directional signal assembly which is buoyant, so as to float on the surface of the water, and which includes one or more elongated display surface having an upper portion and a lower portion, and signal indicia affixed to the upper portion of the display surface to increase visibility to oncoming boaters by virtue of being maintained above the surface of the water. A counterweight mechanism structured to maintain the display surface(s) in a generally upright orientation while deployed would provide a further benefit. It would also be advantageous to combine an illumination system with such a multi-directional signal display, once again, to improve visibly of the assembly to oncoming boaters regardless of their course or bearing relative to the assembly while it is deployed in a body of water.